[Fine Binding | Douglas Cockerell | Essex House Press] The Hymn of Bardaisan

Burkitt, F. Crawford (translator). The Hymn of Bardaisan. London: Printed at the Press of the Guild of Handicraft Limited under the supervision of C. R. Ashbee [Essex House Press], 1899. Printed in Caslon in red and black on Batchelor handmade paper. Wood-engraved initial and press-mark. This copy was bound for (and bears the ex libris of) H.C. Marillier by Douglas Cockerell in niger morocco. Front cover features Marillier's initials and the date, along with a small central ornament of inlaid green leaves, gouges, and stippled dots. Blind tooling extends from the spine bands in Cockerell's typical fashion, with the title in gilt to spine along with two small cross pattée stamps in blind. Gilt ruled turn-ins with light blue endpapers. Cockerell's stamp (dated 1899) on rear turn-in. Measures approx. 4.25" x 5.75". Some light rubbing to edges and spine, primarily at bands, along with some light marks to covers.

"[Marillier] was an expert on tapestries and managing director of Morris and Co. from 1905-1940. Marillier was a prolific researcher and spent many years compiling a subject-index and illustrated catalogue of European tapestries which is now in the Victoria and Albert Museum. He wrote the preface to the Early Works of Aubrey Beardsley (1899), a memoir of Dante Gabriel Rossetti (1899) and The Liverpool School of Painters, 1810-67 (1904); the final two titles remain standard works in Pre-Raphaelite studies. Marillier married Katherine Isabella in 1893. The couple purchased Kelmscott House, Hammersmith - William Morris's (1834-1896) former home - in 1897" (Birmingham Museums & Art Gallery).